Chicken Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Food

QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a deep baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Mix quinoa and water together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini, eggplant, and tomato; cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into vegetable mixture; cover and simmer until vegetables have softened, about 10 more minutes.
• Stir quinoa into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Fill bell peppers with quinoa-vegetable mixture. Place peppers in prepared baking dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bell peppers are slightly tender, about 18 minutes. Remove aluminum foil cover; sprinkle peppers with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbling and melted, about 5 more minutes.

HEALTHY CHICKEN FAJITA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Combine the chicken, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until it just starts to brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken and onion mixture to another large bowl and rinse and dry the skillet. Add the rice, 1/2 cup of the cheese, half the lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds of pepper to the chicken and toss to combine. Divide the filling among the peppers.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, arrange the peppers on top and turn to high heat. When the oil starts to sizzle, about 2 minutes, transfer to the oven and bake until the filling is hot and the peppers are softened, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the peppers and bake until melted, about 3 minutes more.
• Drizzle the remaining lime juice over the peppers and top with the cilantro leaves. Serve with the sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo if desired.

QUINOA AND VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Bring the quinoa and stock to a boil. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the grain looks translucent, 12 to 15 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. You will have about 4 cups of cooked grain.
• Drizzle the bell pepper halves with EVOO and season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until the skins begin to char and the peppers are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp, then arrange in a baking dish cut-side up.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, eggplant, zucchini, onions and chiles, and season with salt and pepper. Cook partially covered to tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes, and combine with the quinoa.
• Fill the pepper halves with the quinoa and vegetable stuffing and drizzle with EVOO. Cool and chill for a make-ahead meal. To serve, roast in a 375 degree F oven until the peppers are hot through. Serve the pepper halves topped with lots of cheese crumbles.

QUINOA UNSTUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat., In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with peppers and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in quinoa. Freeze option: Place cooled quinoa mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring occasionally.